Inlay your epoxy

So, how about that decorative box I was working on?  It looks nice as is, but if you think I'm done there, you have got to be kidding yourself.

Yes, I often let the wood grain speak for itself, but there are times when you want to embellish a project - to guild the proverbial lily - and make the project a little more special and personalized. Now, normally that might involve cutting a decorative inlay for your project, and that's great with the proper inlay kit, router bit and a steady hand. I've tried it, and have yet to really make a quality, perfectly matched inlay.

A quick epoxy trick makes beautiful inlays...

Fortunately, there is an easier way to get a sweet looking inlay for a project - using color tinted epoxy. In this case, I routed out the shape of a heart on the lid of this box and decided to fill it with tinted epoxy. It's simple to mix in about 10% by volume of an artist acrylic paint to make the epoxy stand out without weakening its bond.



As you can see, it's a very simple project. I used some Gorilla Glue five minute epoxy, but let it cure overnight just to ensure it was hard enough to sand and not gum up my sanding disks.

And, no, you aren't hearing things. Those are indeed the dulcet tones of one Marc Spagnuolo crooning the theme to Tom's Tips. This is the triumphant return of Tom's Tips, and I'm happy to see the animated open my sons and I worked on now being used!  I hope you enjoy it!